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This document is a preface to a special issue of the journal Biochemistry, written by someone who worked closely with Vladimir Petrovich Skulachev (VP) on a significant project. The author describes their relationship with VP and highlights his leadership and dedication. They discuss VP's belief in the importance of people and his approach to managing a large team. The document emphasizes the significance of the project, which aimed to develop a therapeutic drug based on VP's discovery of "mitochondrial electricity" and potentially address aging. The author also discusses the decrease in funding for science and research in recent years and the need for new models of financing. They reflect on the past when scientists had more financial support and the current reality of having to actively seek funding through grants and contracts. The author concludes by stating the responsibility to fulfill VP's vision and complete the project. [Extracted from the article]

Quinone derivatives of triphenylphosphonium have proven themselves to be effective geroprotectors and antioxidants that prevent oxidation of cell components with participation of active free radicals – peroxide (RO2·), alkoxy (RO·), and alkyl (R·) radicals, as well as reactive oxygen species (superoxide anion, singlet oxygen). Their most studied representatives are derivatives of plastoquinone (SkQ1) and ubiquinone (MitoQ), which in addition to antioxidant properties also have a strong antibacterial effect. In this study, we investigated antibacterial properties of other quinone derivatives based on decyltriphenylphosphonium (SkQ3, SkQT, and SkQThy). We have shown that they, just like SkQ1, inhibit growth of various Gram-positive bacteria at micromolar concentrations, while being less effective against Gram-negative bacteria, which is associated with recognition of the triphenylphosphonium derivatives by the main multidrug resistance (MDR) pump of Gram-negative bacteria, AcrAB-TolC. Antibacterial action of SkQ1 itself was found to be dependent on the number of bacterial cells. It is important to note that the cytotoxic effect of SkQ1 on mammalian cells was observed at higher concentrations than the antibacterial action, which can be explained by (i) the presence of a large number of membrane organelles, (ii) lower membrane potential, (iii) spatial separation of the processes of energy generation and transport, and (iv) differences in the composition of MDR pumps. Differences in the cytotoxic effects on different types of eukaryotic cells may be associated with the degree of membrane organelle development, energy status of the cell, and level of the MDR pump expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]